Clasp



July 5,1927. v 1,634,321

J. COUSLIN CLASP Filed Feb. 16, 1927 In'ventar By @Mao/5% Attorny Patented July 5, 1927.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH COUSLIN, OF EAST VANDEBGRIFT, PENNSYLVANIA.

CLASP.

Application filed February My present invention pertains to devices of the clasp type; and it has forV its object to provide a convenient and highly efiicient clasp for detachably securing clothes and other articles such as handkerchiefs, sheets,

and the like on a line.

To the attainment of the foregoing, thel invention consists in the improvement hereinafter described and definitely claimed. O

In the accompanying drawings forinng part of this specification- Figure 1 is a perspective of the clasp constituting the preferred embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective of the clasp, but showing one of the clasp members as swung upwardly, and also showing the fastening bar of the clasp in a position at right angles to the position shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view showing the clasp in longitudinal vertical section as properly applied to a clothes line.

Figure is a section taken through the clothes line at a point at the right of the clasp in Figure 3, as indicated by the line of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a top plan view showing the clasp positioned on a clothes line and also showing the fastening bar at right angles to the major portion of the clasp and the clothes line so that either of the swingable clasp members may be swung upwardly for the release of a piece of clothes or fabric held by the same.

Similarnumerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the views of the drawing. t

I show in Figures 3 and 5 a clothes line designated by 1, and I also show in all the figures of the drawing, the body 2 of my novel clasp, the said body 2 being apertured as designated by 3 for the threading of the same on the clothes line l, and being provided at its upper side with a headed niple 4. P In addition to the body 2 my novel clasp comprises swingable clasp members 5, and a fastening bar 6, the said clasp members 5 and the bar 6, as well as the body 2 being preferably of metal, and the clasp members 5 and the fastening bar 6 being possessed of resiliency for reasons hereinafter apa parent. I

At the opposite ends of its upper portion, the apertured body 2 is provided with hinge knuckles 7, and the clasp members 5 are pro- 16, 1927. seriarno. 168,681.

vided with hinge knuckles 8 which are connected to the body knuckles by pintles 9, all as best shown in Figure 5 so that the clasp members inay be swung on the said pintles to and from the positionshown in Figure 3. The clasp members 5 are of nverted U- shape in cross section, and each is provided with lips 10 designed to facilitate the movement of the clasp member downwardly over a piece of clothes or over a sheet or the like on the line 1 without liability of the piece of clothes, sheet or the like being injured by the vengagement of the clasp member therewith. Manifestly when the clasp inembers 5 are positioned as shown in Figure 3 so as to straddle the line 1 and pieces of clothes on the line, the clasp may be depended upon to hold the pieces of clothes on the line l and against casual displacement in a wind storm or under any other conditions. In performing the function stated, the clasp members 5 are assisted by the fastening bar 6 when said bar 6 is in the relative position as shown in Figures l and 3, the bar in that position resting above the clasp g members and precluding upward swinging movement of the clasp members on the body 2. In order to effectively prevent casual or aocidental movement of the fastening bar 6 from the position shown in Figure 1, and Figure 3, the clasp members 5 are provided on their uppermost portions with longitudinal ribs ll, and the fastening bar 6 is provided in its end portions with longitudinal grooves or indentures 12, the fastening bar being held on the pintle Li by the head of the latter, and the end portions of the said fastening bar 6 being adapted when the bar is swung to the position shown in Figures land 3, to be sprung over the uppermost portions of the clasp members 5 so that the ribs'll will be seated in the indentures 12 of the bars 6. Manifestly when the fastening bar 6 is detachably keyed to the clasp members 5 in the manner described,

there will be no liability of the fastening bar 6 casually moving from the position shown in Figures 1 and 3, and hence no liability of clasp members being permitted to accidentally swing upwardly so as to release the piece ofclothes engaged by the clasp members. When however a little stress is applied to one or both end portions of the fastening bar 6, and said bar is moved toward the position shown in Figures 2 and 5, the indentures 12 will be sprung out of engagement with the ribs 11, and from this it follows that when necessity demands, the clasp members 5 may be eXpedit-iously and easily unlocked. It follows from the foregoing that a little stress is also .necessary to spring the fastening bar 6 into engagement with the rib bearing portions of the clasp members 5. Therefore, I provide the fastening bar 6 on its opposite edges at its opposite ends with lips 13 through the medium of Which the fastening bar 6 may be strongly moved in the direction of the Width of said bar.

It wi'll be maniifest from the foregoing 'that with the body 2 interposed between two pieces of clothes on the line l, my novel clasp may be depended upon to securely hold both pieces of clothes on the line l, and it wil'l also be understood that by proper inanipulation of the clasp, either one or both pieces of clothes may be quickly and easily released and expeditiously removed from the line.

It will a'lso be appreciated that my novel device is adapted to be quickly and easily placed in engagement with pieces of clothes without liability of the pieces of clothes being torn or otherwise impaired.

It will further be appreciated from the foregoing that notwithstanding the practical advantages ascribed to my novel clasp, the clasp is simple in construction, and as a whole is well adapted to withstand rough sage and exposure to the weather, and in the latter connection I would have it understood that when deemed expedient, the metallic parts of the clasp may be galvanized or otherwise treated so as to render the same weather proof or not likely to be affected by .inclement weather.

I have entered into a detailed description of the construction and relative arrangement of parts embraced in the present and preferred embodiment of my invention in order to impart a full., clear, and exact understanding of the said embodiment. I do not desire however to be understood as limiting` myself to the preciseconstruction and arrangement herein disclosed, my invention being defined by my appended claims within the scope of Which modifications inay be made Without departingI from my invention.

Having thus described the invention, What I claim is 1- 1. A clasp comprising an apertured body with knuckles at its ends, a headed pintl-e carried by said body, clasp members of inverted U-shape in cross section having knuckles hingedly connected to the knuckles `of the body and also having terminal lip portions and further having at their backs longitudinal ribs, .anda fast-ening bar pivotally connected by said pintle to said vbody and having` longitudinal indentures to seat said ribs of the clasp members and also having on its opposite edges at points adjacent to its ends lips forming finger holds 'for facilitatingI the movement of the fastening bar in the direction of the width thereof.

2. A c'lasp comprisingr a body adapted to be placed on a clothes line, U-shaped clasp members hingedly connected to said body, and. a fastening bar pivotally connected with the said body and adapt-ed to be moved to and from a position against the back portions of the clasp members.

3. A clasp comprising a body adapted to be placed on ai clothes line, U-shaped clasp members hingedly connected to said body, and a fastening` bar pivotally connected with the said body and adapted to be moved to and from a position against the back portions of the clasp members; the back portions of the clasp members and the end portions of the fastening` bar being provided with cooperating projections and seats for said projections whereby casual movement of the fastening` bar from against the backs of the clasp members is prevented. I

(i. A clasp comprising a body, a U-shaped clasp member hinged'ly connected to the body, and a fastening` bar piv-otally connected to the body and movable to and from a position against and in engagement with the back portion of the clasp member.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOSEPH COUSLIN. 

